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1987

North Carolina · year

North Carolina in 1987

Deaths 1,584Fatal crashes 1,416Per 100,000 —US deaths 46,390

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Final FARS file for 1987.

In 1987, 1,584 people died in 1,416 fatal crashes in North Carolina.

The death toll was about level between 1986 (1,647) and 1987 (1,584).

North Carolina accounted for 3.4% of the 46,390 crash deaths recorded nationally that year.

48% of the state's fatal crashes that year had at least one driver reported as drinking.

34% of the crashes happened between 6pm to midnight; Saturday was the most common day.

← 198619871988 →All years

Compared with 1986 and the nation

MeasureNorth Carolina 1987North Carolina 1986United States 1987
Deaths1,5841,64746,390
Fatal crashes1,4161,48941,438
Deaths per 100,000 residents———
Crashes with a drinking driver48%47%42%

Counties in 1987

Every county with a fatal crash in 1987, by deaths. Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule); the per-100,000 column is blank for them. 97 counties listed.

CountyFatal crashesDeathsPer 100,000Deaths 2015–2024
Mecklenburg County72776.41,059
Guilford County596812.2649
Cumberland County515716.8501
Wake County51544.4772
Robeson County455143.0531
Davidson County414726.4306
Forsyth County404511.3419
Johnston County323614.4341
Onslow County313516.4231
Sampson County303253.0199
Durham County28319.0296
Gaston County282912.0277
Buncombe County262810.0347
Iredell County232813.6238
Union County252710.3232
Catawba County242716.2237
Wayne County232419.9209
Nash County232323.5232
New Hanover County22239.5210
Moore County222220.3183
Brunswick County202213.2214
Randolph County202214.8261
Rowan County202113.7233
Alamance County192111.5214
Pitt County182111.6261
Wilkes County182131.7129
Rockingham County172122.5155
Wilson County172126.3164
Henderson County152016.6123
Harnett County171913.0293
Bladen County161963.8108
Columbus County151938.0204
Cabarrus County18187.3235
Edgecombe County141836.6118
Vance County111842.595
Craven County141615.4131
Orange County131610.5147
Chatham County141517.9141
Surry County141521.0141
Rutherford County131522.9118
Carteret County121521.393
Burke County141415.8142
Lenoir County141425.3129
Richmond County141433.3106
Haywood County131422.2108
Cleveland County121413.7208
Halifax County111429.8152
Beaufort County111329.271
Scotland County111338.4120
Yadkin County101334.291
McDowell County121226.570
Stanly County111217.895
Lincoln County101212.3127
Dare County81231.443
Caldwell County101012.4123
Davie County101022.069
Hoke County101018.1138
Jackson County101022.176
Granville County91016.2138
Pender County81014.3159
Bertie County9953.160
Currituck County8927.945
Duplin County8815.8181
Franklin County8810.0154
Jones County7884.526
Pasquotank County4819.363
Madison County7731.345
Person County7717.460
Alexander County6719.157
Hertford County6736.561
Stokes County6715.370
Anson County6626.761
Caswell County6626.855
Chowan County6643.219
Lee County668.8135
Martin County6627.946
Gates County5658.334
Mitchell County4639.918
Cherokee County5516.558
Greene County5524.236
Transylvania County5514.735
Warren County5526.271
Watauga County559.158
Montgomery County4519.091
Hyde County35109.16
Tyrrell County1–25142.211
Northampton County4424.173
Perquimans County4429.721
Washington County4437.516
Ashe County3311.043
Pamlico County3323.923
Polk County3314.835
Avery County1–2316.824
Swain County1–21–2—24
Camden County1–21–2—9
Clay County1–21–2—21
Macon County1–21–2—54

Per 100,000 uses the 2024 population estimate for every year, so early-year rates are understated where a county has grown.

Hour of day

12am4.6%
1am4.3%
2am3.7%
3am2.8%
4am1.8%
5am2.6%
6am3.3%
7am3.6%
8am2.6%
9am2.4%
10am2.8%
11am3.8%
12pm3.2%
1pm3.2%
2pm5.1%
3pm5%
4pm5.3%
5pm6%
6pm5%
7pm6%
8pm5.8%
9pm6.3%
10pm6%
11pm5%

Weekday

Sunday17%
Monday12%
Tuesday10%
Wednesday12%
Thursday12%
Friday15%
Saturday21%

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in North Carolina in 1987?

1,584 people in 1,416 fatal crashes, according to NHTSA's FARS 1987 file.

Which county in North Carolina had the most crash deaths in 1987?

Mecklenburg County with 77 deaths in 72 fatal crashes. The table on this page lists every county with a fatal crash that year.

How did 1987 compare with 1986 in North Carolina?

1,584 deaths against 1,647 in 1986 (+-4%). Nationally the 1987 total was 46,390.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 1987 national file (accident table); US Census Bureau population estimates (no county estimates before 2000 are used, so no rate is shown for this year). Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026.